Broken Rule
by DobbyRocksSocks
Summary: The rule is that they have to die together or it doesn't count. Why does it have to be this rule that Percy decides to break?


**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count - 2925**

 _Beta'd by_

* * *

 **Broken Rule**

* * *

Oliver hated wearing black. It was just so… drab. It reminded him of funerals which… well, he supposed that was apt, since he was going to a funeral.

He lay in bed, his head resting on white pillows that only smelled of him. It felt wrong, somehow. There should be another scent lingering but there wasn't and he _hated_ that.

It'd been a really long time since he'd slept alone.

He'd spent the night tossing and turning underneath sheets that suddenly seemed scratchy against his skin, no matter that he'd slept under them comfortably so many times before. Nightmares had plagued him, and there was nobody there to soothe away his trembles and kiss away his tears.

He didn't like it.

Percy should be there with him. The way he had been for years.

…

 _There was an acrid smell of smoke in the air. Oliver ran down corridors, searching and searching and searching. There were people fighting everywhere he looked and he helped where he could, firing spells with all the accuracy of a long time Quidditch player._

 _He met his mark almost every time._

 _Finally, he found the man he was looking for. Percy was fighting two Death Eaters. He looked magnificent, and Oliver wished he had a moment to just stand back and admire the view._

 _Instead, he jumped into the fight. They worked seamlessly together, though they'd never fought together before. It was oddly exhilarating._

 _This wasn't quite how Oliver had always thought their post Hogwarts reunion would go, but he'd take it. Especially since this might be his last chance to actually see Percy. He refused to die with the regret of never tasting Percy's lips._

" _How did you even know I was here?" Percy asked, when they had a moment to stop and breathe._

" _Word travels fast," Oliver replied with a shrug. It hadn't, but he'd known Percy would be there. No matter that Percy had once sided with the Ministry, Oliver knew him well enough that he'd known the man would come through when it really mattered._

" _We should probably -" Percy gestured down the corridor, to where flashes of light indicated more fighting._

" _I… I wanted to… it's…" Oliver said, stumbling over his words. "Fuck it. We're going to die anyway."_

 _He leant forward and wrapped his hand around the back of Percy's neck, drawing him into a fierce kiss._

" _We're probably going to die," he repeated when he pulled back, "but if we don't… I'll take you for dinner."_

 _The nod he received in return sent his heart soaring higher than he ever had on a broom._

…

Oliver got up, moving slowly from the bedroom to the bathroom. He knew he had to get ready. He knew he had to take a shower and shave and get dressed in the black suit he despised.

He knew he should move faster, be more ready to accept condolences and meaningless words and…

He didn't want to do it. He didn't want to sit with people he called his friends and family and listen as the virtues of someone he loved were read out by someone who didn't know him at all.

He didn't want to let other people see him not cry and think him heartless. He'd _tried._ He really had. The tears wouldn't come.

It was like he was numb, except not, because the pain was excruciatingly _there._ And even that reminded him of Percy.

…

 _The flat was dull and dark and sombre. Oliver winced when he saw Percy, slumped on the sofa, the floor littered with bottles of Firewhisky._

" _You… this is not good life choices, Perc," he commented lightly, kicking one of the bottles gently. "If you're going to consume this much cheap shit, you should at least eat."_

 _Percy glared up at him. "Do I look capable of healthy life choices? My brother is dead because of me."_

" _Well, shit," Oliver said, raising his eyebrow. "S'pose I should go tell Harry and the Ministry that Voldemort isn't dead; that he's actually stewing in firewhisky in a shitty flat in London, attempting to pickle his own liver."_

" _Wood," Percy growled. "Go away."_

" _Nope, come on, get your ass up. I still owe you dinner."_

" _Do you really think I'm going on a date with you? My little brother is_ dead."

" _I know," Oliver replied quietly. "And that is awful, Percy, it really is. Fred was a good man, and he didn't deserve that. The same way that many of the people that died in that battle didn't deserve the end they got. But would Fred want this? You, sitting in a dark room alone, blaming yourself for something that wasn't your fault?"_

" _I don't know what he'd want, because he's not here to tell me."_

" _Percy -"_

" _Will you stop talking if I agree to eat?"_

" _Let me choose the restaurant and sure," Oliver agreed with a small smile and a shrug._

 _Percy glowered for a long moment and then sat up. "Fine. Make it somewhere quiet, I'm not up to dressing up."_

…

His tie wouldn't tie. He watched himself in the mirror as he tried to make it sit properly and it _just wouldn't do it._

Percy always tied his ties for him. Always. And he'd always laughed while he was doing it because Oliver had always been _useless_ at it.

Oliver pulled the tie from around his neck, throwing it on top of the dresser before he sunk down onto the bed.

How was he supposed to do any of this? If he couldn't even tie his tie…

He just… he didn't know how he functioned without Percy anymore.

…

" _Aren't you cold?" Percy asked, raising his eyebrow at Oliver._

 _They'd just left the bar after a rather raucous celebration of Puddlemere winning the cup, and Percy was already pulling his travelling cloak around him, shivering in the chilly night air._

" _I'm too hot to get cold," Oliver announced, laughing at himself. He might have overshot the alcohol slightly. "But… say I was getting cold… would you share your cloak with me? You know, just in theory?"_

 _Percy rolled his eyes. "See. I knew this was coming, because this happens literally every time. So…"_

 _He pulled a small bundle of cloth from his pocket along with his wand. A moment later, he was holding a second cloak and handing it to his boyfriend._

" _What would I do without you?" Oliver asked, wrapping the cloak around himself._

" _Freeze," Percy replied immediately. "And possibly poison yourself with your cooking."_

" _Better keep you around then, hadn't I?"_

" _I'd recommend that course of action, yes."_

…

"Oliver? Are you there, dear?"

Oliver picked up the tie from the dresser and moved through the flat to the living room, where he found Molly's head in the flames of the fireplace.

"Molly," he greeted. He tried to force a smile, but he wasn't sure it worked. In fact, he was quite sure it hadn't. "Is something wrong?"

"I just wanted to see how you were holding up this morning," she said quietly.

Oliver held up his tie. "I, uh. I couldn't tie it. Percy," he cut himself off for a moment when his voice shook. "Percy always did it for me. I… I can't."

He hated the understanding look on her face.

"Don't you worry dear, fetch it with you when you come over and I'll tie it for you. Okay?"

Oliver nodded. "I… how are you?"

"Holding up," she replied. "As we all must. I'll see you soon?"

Oliver nodded again. "I'll be there."

"I know you will, sweetheart. You always were."

She disappeared from the fire, leaving Oliver standing in the middle of a too silent living room, holding his tie in the air.

…

 _Percy finally waved his mum off and stepped out into the garden with Oliver, a content smile on his face. They were both full and happy. Percy wrapped his arms around Oliver's shoulders and leant into him, burying his face against Oliver's neck, uncaring that his family were witness to the loving moment._

" _Side-along me? I'm too tired to focus."_

 _Oliver nodded, tightening his grip on Percy. He concentrated hard on getting them home, and a moment later, they were standing in their living room._

" _I love my family, but it's good to be home," Percy murmured, as he stepped back and stretched, his jumper riding up to show a sliver of pale skin._

 _Oliver could only agree. As much as he loved the Weasleys, it was always nice to come home to their own little safe haven._

" _I love you," he said, pressing his lips to Percy's temple._

 _Percy smiled. "I love you, too."_

…

The Burrow was bustling with people. Oliver hated that everyone was wearing black. Percy wouldn't have liked it, Oliver thought. As much as he'd loved formalwear, Percy had avoided plain black like the plague.

"It's dull," he'd always complained.

"Come over here, dear, let me sort out your tie," Molly said, beckoning him over to her. He went, handing over the skinny black tie and leaning down for her to loop it around his neck.

She tied it quickly, with expert hands, and within moments he had a perfectly tied tie around his neck.

It felt like it was going to strangle him, even though he knew she'd left him plenty of room to breathe.

Then again, he'd been having trouble remembering how to breathe since… well. Since.

"He'd have hated this, wouldn't he?" Molly said then, looking around the kitchen at the various people there. "He never liked the colour black."

Oliver could only shake his head.

Molly tapped her wand against her thigh and then raised it. She conjured up a hot pink scarf and wrapped it around her neck.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Oliver smiled.

…

 _Oliver was so busy devouring his toffee apple, that he almost missed Percy's quiet squeal of delight when he was handed a pink sparkler._

 _He raised his eyebrow, enjoying the blush that stained Percy's cheeks._

" _I, uh, I always liked pink," he admitted quietly. "I don't really know why. Fred and George used to bully me about it mercilessly, but… I guess I never really grew out of it."_

" _That… doesn't surprise me," Oliver replied after a moment. "Given your penchant for shiny things, I should have expected it, in fact."_

 _Percy scowled playfully. "I do not have a penchant for shiny things!"_

" _You so do."_

" _Do not."_

" _Babe," Oliver sighed. "You literally said, 'ooh, shiny', when we were looking at wallpaper for the living room. And whenever we see glittery things, specifically picture frames, you can never resist them. Ever."_

" _The wallpaper is nice!"_

" _Of course it is. Doesn't change that your first thought about it was, 'ooh, shiny,' though, does it?"_

" _I hate you."_

" _You love me."_

" _I love you and hate you. Do you want another toffee apple?"_

" _No, I'm good," Oliver said, tossing the stem into a nearby bin. "Normally, you tell me off for over indulging in those at bonfire night. What gives?"_

 _Percy shrugged. "You were quiet while you were eating."_

…

Molly insisted Oliver sit in the front row, with the rest of the family. He and Percy might not have been married, but they were as good as, and he was grateful to her. He sat between Molly and George.

He'd spelled his tie pink, and as the others had seen what he and Molly had done, they all began colour changing various parts of their outfits to the brightest pink imaginable.

Harry sitting in the row behind him with a pink belt, and Ginny sat beside him with a pink headband. George and Arthur both wore pink ties, and Bill and Charlie had changed their shirts from white to pink.

Oliver hoped that wherever Percy was now, he was watching over them and smiling at their tribute.

…

" _Do you think there's any truth in the idea of heaven?" Percy asked._

 _Oliver blinked. They'd been sitting in the little alcove of their bedroom window, snuggled under blankets as they looked up at the night sky. Percy loved stargazing, but they were in the middle of winter and it was far too cold to actually go out._

" _Sure. There has to be something, right?"_

" _I just… I wonder sometimes, if Fred is looking down on us."_

 _Oliver's grip tightened around Percy. "I'm sure he is, sweetheart. And probably causing mayhem when he's not watching."_

 _Percy chuckled and nodded. "I hope so. I'd like to think that everyone we love will be waiting for us when we die."_

" _I'll be waiting for you," Oliver promised quietly._

 _Percy shook his head. "Nuh uh. The rule is that we have to die together or it doesn't count."_

 _Oliver laughed quietly. "I like that rule."_

" _Look, a shooting star," Percy murmured, pointing at it through the window._

 _Oliver nodded, smiling slightly at the look of wonder on Percy's face._

" _You've gotta make a wish," Percy told him._

" _Huh?"_

" _Something Hermione told me about. Muggles wish on shooting stars. I like it."_

" _Can I tell you what I wished for?" Oliver asked after a moment._

 _Percy shook his head. "Nope. If you tell me, it won't come true."_

" _So you can't tell me what you wished for?"_

 _Percy shook his head. "Nope."_

…

Oliver had been right. The man at the front had spoken about Percy's achievements in his work life, about his Gryffindor courage and his close family bonds.

It made Oliver feel sick, because he'd missed the important parts.

He'd missed how clumsy Percy was when he was tired. He'd missed Percy's quiet humour, his one liners spoken in such a way that it took a moment to actually sink in before the laughter started. He'd missed the way Percy was a terrible patient when he was ill. He'd missed how cuddly Percy was first thing in the morning and last thing at night. He'd missed the way Percy always told Oliver off about leaving his broomstick lying around the house.

He'd missed all the things that made Percy _Percy._

…

 _Oliver stared in disbelief at his laughing boyfriend. He felt a drip of cake batter slid down his cheek._

" _Are you for real?" he demanded, shaking his head._

 _Percy shrugged. "Now you really are good enough to eat."_

 _Oliver neared him, picking up the packet of icing sugar from the side. He ripped it open, and pressed down, grinning when Percy was quickly covered in a coating of white powder._

" _Who's laughing now, asshole?" he asked, licking at the batter that had slid down to the corner of his lip._

" _I am," Percy replied, flicking more of the batter at Oliver. He started laughing, proving his words, when it splattered all over Oliver's nose._

" _Oh, it's on, Weasley!"_

 _A few minutes later, they were both sprawled on the floor laughing, having slipped on the excess cake ingredients that were now covering the floor._

" _You're so competitive," Percy said through his chuckles. "Even in a food fight."_

" _I always play to win, babe."_

" _Hmm. I'm going to go and shower. Why don't you see if you can beat me to cleaning the kitchen?"_

…

The gravestone was simple. Oliver looked down at it, unsure of what to say. He'd lingered behind while everyone else had returned to the Burrow, knowing that he couldn't handle the crowd just then.

"I miss you," he said quietly. "And I'm mad at you."

He dropped to his knees in front of the stone, glaring at it. "You weren't supposed to leave me. _I still need you,_ and I'm mad at you _because you're not here."_

He glared harder, because the gravestone didn't answer him, and Percy never would either, and he was so angry that his eyes were filling, and tears were suddenly pouring from his eyes and he couldn't breathe past the sobs ripping from his chest.

" _What am I supposed to do without you?"_

…

 _There were scratches and cuts and grazes littering Percy's skin. Oliver traced a particularly bad one with light fingers. He wondered how many of the cuts would turn into new scars for him to find when they were curled up in bed together._

 _He didn't understand what had happened._

 _How could Percy have been this badly hurt by a Muggle car? It just seemed so… random. They'd lived through a war, through battles, through rough Quidditch matches and enthusiastic nights out._

" _I'm sorry, Mr Wood. There's nothing more we can do."_

 _The words were echoing in his mind on a loop, and he looked at the strange contraptions currently keeping Percy alive._

" _As soon as we spell everything to stop, he'll pass on."_

 _Pass on to where? Where was Percy going? Percy wouldn't pass on anywhere that Oliver couldn't go with him._

 _That was the rule he'd made. It didn't count, unless they went together._

" _Oliver…"_

 _Molly was there, with her silent tears and her warm hands on his shoulders and Oliver didn't understand why she was crying._

 _Percy was going to be fine. He'd made the rule after all, and Percy_ loved _rules. He practically lived for them._

 _So he was going to be fine. He had to be._

…

The flat was silent and empty.

It didn't feel like a safe haven anymore.

It had taken losing Percy to realise that it wasn't the flat that was the safe haven.

It was who was waiting there to welcome Oliver home.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Character Appreciation - 16. Scars

Disney - C6. Someone who likes shiny things.

Lizzy's Loft - 3. Black

Book Club - Starr - Nightmare / Regret / Witness

Showtime - 9. Love

Amber's Attic - 5. A Safe Haven

Ami's Audio - 15. Reunion

Sophie's Shelf - 3. Toffee Apple

Emy's Emporium - Bonus, Flashbacks

Angel's Arcade - 11. Pasadena - Pink Scarf / Happy / Expert

Lo's Lowdown - 2. "Do I look capable of making healthy life choices?"

Bex's Basement - 14. "Who's laughing now, asshole?" / "I am."

Autumn - "Aren't you cold?" / "I'm too hot to get cold."

Birthstone - Blue Zircon - "Fuck it. We're going to die anyway."

Element - Broomstick

Ravenclaw - Competitive

Star Chart - Orionids Meteor Shower - Wishing on a shooting star

Princess - 13. Clumsy

Around the Board - 11. A known Quidditch Player

Zoo - Lion Enclosure - Growling / Scratches / Gryffindor

Fantastic Beasts - 13. Dementor - Kiss / 16. Belarus - Oliver Wood

Marauders Map - Oliver Wood / Tragedy


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